It is often desirable for purposes of transport and storage to make longer poles segmented. Fishing poles are the most common of such poles, but segmented long poles having lines could also be used for flag poles and portable sailing masts.
Fishing rods are usually made in two or more lengths joined by ferrules. Occasionally, the tip end of the pole will become separated during fishing, and if the line breaks, the tip end can be lost, ruining the rod.
Other difficulties with sectioned rods involve securing hooks in a safe position when handling a rod, the necessity of winding and then rethreading the line when storing and preparing the rod for use, and securing all parts of the rod together during storage and transport.
U.S. Pat. No. 396,909 discloses a ring clip for holding an extra tip end on a rod having a recessed handle.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,113,363 and 3,169,290 each disclose a rod clamping apparatus for organizing a disassembled rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,799, incorporated herein by reference, discloses an end clip for organizing a disassembled rod.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,303, incorporated herein by reference, recognizes the need for a device which would allow both side by side and end by end storage of a fishing pole. However, it suffers from certain disadvantages. The tip of the pole is not secured when the pole is folded. More importantly, attachment of the device requires permanent alterations in the ferrule of the rod, or the section ends will not fall into their original alignment since the device occupies space between the original sections. This can unbalance a rod and change the action during casting. Further, the device fails to lock the sections together, and thus does not prevent loss of the tip end of the rod.